"I was so delighted to bring to you the fine musicianship of Markus James. His orginal approach to blues music Combining American Roots Blues with West African roots music is such a soul filled experience. They created some magical music."
- Blues Host Freddie Blue, WWOZ, New Orleans, LA

at JOE's PUB, New York City

Markus James and Wassonrai at Joe's Pub
"Sunday night, Joe's Pub in Manhattan played host to an evening of music fusing traditions literally from here to Timbuktu. Blues singer/songwriter/guitarist Markus James and the Wassonrai explored the early roots of blues music by mixing the American style with the traditional sounds of the Wassoulou and Sonrai people of Mali, West Africa--the people from whose music most ethnomusicologists believe the blues derived... The trio - Markus on guitar, Mamadou Sidibe on the kamala ngoni (a brand of African harp) and Makane Kouyate on the calabash - mixed not only cultural styles, but languages as well--Markus would sing verses in English and his Malian counterparts would respond either in Bamanakan or in Sonrai (two indigenous languages spoken in Mali.) Markus' guitar seemed to hover over the hypnotic rhythms of both calabash and kamala ngoni--which plays strongly percussive, repetitive pentatonic patterns--adding tasteful riffs and subtle harmonics. The group produced a sound that struck a nearly perfect balance between the ancient and modern blues forms so that they were at once distinguishable and complimentary to one another. Markus' voice was gritty and haunting while Mamadou's and Makane's were smooth and subdued, further upholding the elegant equilibrium of the sound...

The highlight of the show was a guest appearance by legendary Wassoulou singer Coumba Sidibe. At first bashful, the Malian diva honored Markus' invitation to the stage and soon found herself belting vocal lines to an elated audience. Those on hand began to sway, clap along and throw money on stage, as is often customary in West Africa. One felt transported to the banks of the Niger. Meanwhile, Markus' voice conjured images of the Mississippi. Since one tradition was born from the other, it is of small wonder that the two came together so beautifully."

--by Eric Herman and Jesse Brenner for www.afropop.org

Previous Shows: Markus James and the Wassonrai live: July 6, High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, CA July 5, High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, CA June 27, Harlow's, Sacramento, CA June 23, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Boonville, CA June 21, Don Quixote's International Music Hall, Santa Cruz, CA June 20, Sweetwater, Mill Valley, CA June 17, Ashkenaz, Berkeley, CA June 4, Slim's, San Francisco, CA At Jamal Poi, Tribute Concerts for Ali Farka Toure: March 7, Place De L'independence, Niafounke, Mali March 3, Palais De La Culture, Bamako, Mali March 2, Hotel Salaam, Bamako, Mali Markus James and the Wassonrai: Nov 24: De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA Nov 3: Sebastopol Community Center, Sebastopol, CA Sept 9: Sunnyvale Theatre (Film/Concert), Sunnyvale, CA Aug 13: Bowery Poetry Club (Film/Concert), New York, NY Aug 12: Lincoln Center Out of Doors Series, New York, NY June 11: Haight Street Fair, San Francisco, California June 3: Berkeley World Music Festival, Berkeley, California April 20: Ashland Armory, Ashland, OR April 14: Price Center Ballroom, UC San Diego, San Diego, California (Festival In The Desert Tour, with Tinariwen) April 9: Rozsa Center, Houghton, Michigan (Festival In The Desert Tour, with Tinariwen) April 7: The Hothouse, Chicago, IL April 6: Access (Film/Concert), Dearborn, Michigan Feb 19: Hi-Tone Cafe, Memphis, Tennessee Feb 18: Thirsy Hippo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi Feb 17: Center for Study of Southern Culture, Oxford, Mississippi Feb 16: Thacker Mountain Radio, Oxford, Mississippi            Taylor Grocery, Oxford, Mississippi

Markus James and Timbuktoubab: Jan 13-15: The Festival in the Desert (Essakane, Mali)

 

Calendar:

June 21 : Washington, D.C. - Fete de la Musique

June 20 : Joe's Pub, New York City

April 10 : Sebastopol Community Center - Sebastopol, Calif.

April 9 : Bolinas, California - Community Center -

with Stephen Kent and Trance Mission

April 8 : The Ashkenaz - Berkeley, CA

April 6 : The Make-Out Room - San Francisco, California

January 17: Timbuktu, Mali

January 15: Toya-Koriome, Mali

January 9-11: Festival in the Desert - Essakane, Mali

January 5: Goundam, Mali

January 4: Dire, Mali

September 13: Mill Valley Fall Festival

June 27: Barbes, Park Slope, Brooklyn

June 21: Fete de la Musique, Washington, D.C.

April 27: Festival Internationale de Louisiane, Lafayette, La

April 26: Festival Internationale de Louisiane, Lafayette, La

April 25: Preservation Park, New Orleans, La

January 6th-8th : "Festival in the Desert," Essakane, Mali, West Africa

Sunday September 22: KPFT Radio, Houston, Texas, "Music Beyond Borders"

Saturday September 21: New Orleans, LA: WWOZ Radio, World and Blues Shows

Friday, September. 20: Hattiesburg, Mississippi: Concert, University of Southern Mississippi Blues Concert series (afternoon); Thirsty Hippo Club (evening)

Thursday September 19: KRVS radio, Lafayette, Louisiana

Wensday September 18: Blue Moon Patio, Lafayette, Louisiana

Sunday, August 4: Listeners' Party for "Tangents" hosted by Dore Stein, KALW Radio, San Francisco California.

Saturday, August 3: Sonoma County Blues Festival, Santa Rosa, California.

Thursday, June 27: WUMB Radio, Boston, Massachusetts

Wednesday June 26: Offshore Ale Co., Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Tuesday June 25: WCNI radio, New London, Ct.

Monday June 24: "traditions", WRIU radio, Kingston, Rhode Island

Thursday June 20: Johnny D's, Boston, Massachusetts

Tuesday June 4: Sophia Hall, Summerfield Waldorf, Santa Rosa, Californnia

Thursday, May 30: "Music of theWorld" KPFA Radio, Berkeley, California

Saturday, May 25: The Powerhouse, Main St. Sebastopol, California

Friday, May 24: TUVA Performance Space, 2139 Adeline St. Berkeley, California

Sunday, May 12: "Planet Soup", KWVA, Eugene, Oregon & "Dharma Wheel", KBOO, Portland, Oregon

Saturday, May 11: "Acoustic Junction", KRVM Radio & Cafe Paradiso, Eugene, Oregon

Thursday, May 2: "Global Village", KUSP radio, Santa Cruz Calif.

Saturday, April 27: Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa, California (with Rory Block)

Tuesday, April 23: KWMR Radio, Pt. Reyes, California

Monday, April 22: "One World", KRSH Radio, Santa Rosa, California

Friday, April 12: Sonoma State University, Cotati CA.. Workshop and Concert

Wednesday, April 3: Eugene Oregon, KLCC Radio, KVAL Television, WOW Hall, (opening for Jonathan Richman)

Saturday, March 23: Live at Tower Boston, 3 PM

Friday March 22: appearing on Boston's WUMB: "Live at Noon"

Thursday March 21: Club Helsinki, Great Barrington, Mass.

Thursday March 21: WKZE radio, Sharon, Connecticut "The Parlor": Live Radio Broadcast

Tuesday March 19: appearing live on Boston's WGBH: "the World", nationally syndicated program

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